Chelsea star admits players, not Maresca at fault for poor form

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·29 September 2025

Chelsea star admits players, not Maresca at fault for poor form

Chelsea winger Pedro Neto has admitted that the players need to take the blame for the team’s recent poor form, not manager Enzo Maresca.

The Italian has come under scrutiny in recent weeks for losing back-to-back games in the Premier League games after going down to ten men.

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On both occasions Maresca made defensive changes following red cards for Robert Sanchez and Trevoh Chalobah against Manchester United and Brighton respectively, only for them to concede five goals.

Chelsea star admits players, not Maresca at fault for poor form

Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of Chelsea‘s Champions League clash with Benfica at Stamford Bridge, Neto explained why fans are frustrated with Maresca despite winning two trophies in his first season in charge.

“In football it is like that,” the Portugal international said. “One day you’re the best, if you’re losing another day you’re the worst.

“So when the manager won he was the best in the world and now he’s losing, he’s the worst. It’s the same for players.”

Read – Chelsea ‘can’t keep giving away presents’ as red card proves costly again

Jose Mourinho returns to face his former club, with whom he won three Premier League titles across two stints, after recently replacing Bruno Lage as Benfica manager.

Asked about comparisons between Maresca and The Special One, Neto responded: “Jose is a part of the story of the club and Maresca is here to do his best and he cannot do better than he is doing because it is not only his fault, it is the players fault.

“We are on the pitch, we have to take the blame as well and do much better and focus on ourselves and learn from our mistakes.”